Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
January 22, 2024– 6:15 p.m.
President Jake Snider called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Randy Billups, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick, Ryan Schlabaugh, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: None.
Also Present: Superintendent Brian Stone, Board Secretary/School Business Official Jeff Swartzentruber.
Pledge of Allegiance
Read the School Mission Statement by Vice-President
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Ryan Schlabaugh. Motion carried 7-0.
Public Forum
A parent of students in the District expressed deep concerns about course handbooks and grading practices at the High School. The parent provided a handout with the language in use. The parent read the description under learning supports, then commented on the wording of weakness and concerns. The parent asked for the wording to be changed and stated the concern had been mailed to the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE).
A teacher from the High School read a statement of support of the staff members and administrators at the High School and spoke specifically of different teachers as positive examples. The teacher also commented on the positive culture in the High School in the past as strong and expressed concerns for the present happenings.
Work Session
Administration Reports and Board Dialogue
The Board reviewed the Administrators’ written reports to the Board. Time was allotted to ask questions and discuss the reports. A question was asked about the doubling of numbers for Virtual Academy and the source of this increase.
2024 General Obligation Bond Amortization Scenarios – SBO Swartzentruber referred to the four Bond Principal and Interest payment schedules provided by Piper-Sandler. This was brought again from last meeting to assure that all Board Members had a chance to review the Scenarios. Scenarios C and D were discussed as preferred over Scenarios A and B as the potential to pay the bond principal balance more quickly is desired in order to potentially move more quickly to another, possibly larger, future bond issue should the Facilities Committee Master Planning process call for this to be considered by the Board. The Board discussed the Pro’s and Con’s of Scenario C and D in terms of timing and size of any future bond referendums. The Board lean towards Scenario C and asked SBO Swartzentruber to move forward with the Bond Advisors, Piper-Sandler.
2022 Revenue Bond Savings and Interest Uses Discussion – Potential Usages List – SBO Swartzentruber reviewed the potential savings and interest from the current Revenue Bond projects and that it is estimated to be between $335,000 and $400,000. Superintendent Stone introduced Collette McClellan, High School Music Teacher, and Christine Meader, Play/Musical Director and Speech Coach. They shared a list of potential projects as requested at the January 8th meeting. The Board reviewed the list and discussed various items and possible actions.
Grade-like Attendance Center Modifications Questions and Discussion – Superintendent Stone, reviewed the documents provided at the previous Board Meeting to seek additional input and thoughts on process for this change. The Board discussed the Facilities Committee previous conversations on modification to the current grade-like attendance center structure at the elementary schools and as it relates to space needs at both West Elementary and East Elementary. The discussion included items on floor space current usage and future usage with varied question areas and ideas.
New School Board Member Orientation – President Snyder, and Superintendent Stone talked about the Orientation Process for New Board Members. With two new members the Board wants to discuss the process for orientation to include Finance, on-boarding, and status of various projects and situations faced by the Board. The Board made suggestions on different ways to gather and hold the data for sharing and training purposes. Stone thanked the Board for the suggested the questions and interest items can be added to this resources and that resources would be worked on.
Business Meeting
Consent Items
Mary Allred moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of January 8, 2024;
Finance Report
None presented at this time;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for January 22, 2024, and prepaid bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 3 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Aaron Coghlan, Assistant 8th Grade Boys Basketball Coach, $1,938 per annum;
Contract issued to Aaron Coghlan, 8th Grade Track Coach, $2,713 per annum;
Randy Billups seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Student Learning
Second Reading to Change Policy 407.1 Licensed Employee Resignation
President Snider and Superintendent Stone noted that the proposed change to move the notification dates from the third Friday in February and the third Friday in March to the First Monday in February and the First Monday in March passed on First Reading at the January 8th meeting. Again, these dates are two weeks earlier than is currently in the policy. The Board was asked if there are additional questions or discussions.
Jed Seward moved to approve Board Policy 407.1 Licensed Employee Resignation on Second Reading with changes as presented to the first Monday in February and the first Monday in March. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Update Policy 210.2 Regular Meeting
President Snider and Superintendent Stone discussed the changes to the policy if the Board goes to a Work Session in one meeting each month and a Business Session in the other meeting of the month. The Board, Superintendent and SBO discussed preferences for which meeting is Business and which is Work Session. The First Reading will be brought to the February 12, 2024 meeting.
Finance
Second Reading to Change Policy 405.2 Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection
Superintendent Stone brought a proposed change to the policy due to the change from Teach Iowa to IowaWorks as the State’s on-line application tool. The change is to remove “Teach Iowa” in favor of “IowaWorks”.
Jed Seward moved to approve Board Policy 405.21 Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, and Selection on Second Reading with changes as presented. Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Set a Public Hearing for the Flexibility Transfer of HSAP Funds
Business Manager Swartzentruber noted that a Public Hearing for the transfer of Flexibility Funds from the Home School Assistance Program to the General Fund needs to be set. The amount to be transferred from the Home School Assistance Program is $215,767.95. These are unspent funds available after the HSAP has completed the program expenditures for the prior year. The Public Hearing is proposed for Monday, February 12, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room.
Jed Seward moved to set the Public Hearing on Flexibility Fund Transfer for February 12, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Board Development and Inservice Activities
No items were noted at this time.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
Safety issues were discussed at the last meeting. Superintendent Stone reported on some additional steps that are considered and taken for the security in buildings and interface to local law enforcement.
Superintendent Stone reported on snow issues on the roofs at the buildings and noted steps being taken to mitigate some of the problems with snow, thawing and freezing at the roof drains.
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: Resolutions for the Early Payment of the 2014 GO Bonds; Pre-Levy for the remaining amount of 2014 GO Bonds; 2024 GO Bonds Actions and Resolutions to move the process forward on the Timeline; Concurrent Enrollment trends and discussion on developments—next Work Session; Discuss a policy for protection of staff; Review our policy on Public Forum; Public Hearing on the Flexibility Transfer; and First Reading of 210.2.
Board Highlights
- Frederick and Billups appreciated the Teacher Statement in the Public Forum.
- Schlabaugh – Pleased to see Brian Stone, Teresa Hartley and others working on buses during this time of bad weather.
- Seward – Expressed appreciation on the Virtual Academy growth in numbers of students.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:04 p.m.